Scan barcode
A review by rainbowbookworm
When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through: A Norton Anthology of Native Nations Poetry by Jennifer Elise Foerster, LeAnne Howe, Joy Harjo
This Norton Anthology took me back to my undergrad years studying American Lit! After reading a digital ARC, I ordered the paperback for my classroom collection and was pleased to note that the pages were not made from onion paper... That would have really been a throwback to my university years.
Poet Laureate Joy Harjo edited this collection which seems comprehensive, but falls short when you think how much heftier the tome would be if it contained the poems created by the colonizers. However, since most people are unaware of the existence of these poets and their traditions, the fact that a book like this is finally in print is a triumph. It must also be said that the Native Nations have a rich oral tradition and this may contribute to the fact that not many poems were written down.
The collection itself is divided into geographical regions and organized chronologically among each region. As one delves into the poetry certain themes connect poems from each region and, when comparing regions, through historic periods.
I am ashamed that I only knew a handful of the poets included in this collection and am glad that Harjo and her fellow editors took on this endeavor and that Norton decided to publish it. There is a Renaissance when it comes to the culture of the Native Nations and we owe it to ourselves to learn what our schools failed to teach you avoid their rich and varied history, traditions, and art forms.
Poet Laureate Joy Harjo edited this collection which seems comprehensive, but falls short when you think how much heftier the tome would be if it contained the poems created by the colonizers. However, since most people are unaware of the existence of these poets and their traditions, the fact that a book like this is finally in print is a triumph. It must also be said that the Native Nations have a rich oral tradition and this may contribute to the fact that not many poems were written down.
The collection itself is divided into geographical regions and organized chronologically among each region. As one delves into the poetry certain themes connect poems from each region and, when comparing regions, through historic periods.
I am ashamed that I only knew a handful of the poets included in this collection and am glad that Harjo and her fellow editors took on this endeavor and that Norton decided to publish it. There is a Renaissance when it comes to the culture of the Native Nations and we owe it to ourselves to learn what our schools failed to teach you avoid their rich and varied history, traditions, and art forms.